Ned O'Sullivan (Fianna Fail)

I shall try to calm down the atmosphere a small bit. I ask the Leader to arrange a debate on the planning process as soon as possible and in particular the so-called "fast tracking" of planning for major infrastructural development. I ask for this because of our recent experience in the constituency of Kerry North-Limerick West. Members may have read last week that the final go-ahead was given for the LNG gas project at Ballylongford. I was involved in the early stages of that project as a member of Kerry County Council. I was elected to this House three years ago and it took three years for the fast-track planning process to finally click in and give the green light for this very important project which will create 500 badly needed jobs in the vicinity and ensure that the country has energy security for many years to come.

Side by side with that we had another application for major infrastructural development by Endesa, the Spanish-based power company to construct a new gas power station in Tarbert, which is only three miles from Ballylongford. We were expecting the all-clear on that last week when An Bord Pleanála decided to announce that it would take at least three or four more months to pontificate on it. Some 500 jobs are at risk. We are very fortunate that both these entities seem to be recession-proof in terms of their capital and there is no danger of the projects not proceeding. However, there is a salutary lesson to be learned. If this fast-track process is working, we do not know about it in Kerry. I ask the Leader to expedite a debate on it as soon as possible.